ACT THREE

FADE IN:

19 INT. B’HALA CAVES – BUNK ROOM

Sisko reacts to Luka’s pronouncement. The man is excited, eyes gleaming, but wary of anyone over-hearing.

SISKO
His grave? Why would you even
think Ohalu is buried here?

LUKA
Where else? This is where Istani
Reyla found the book. This is
where the ten-thousand are buried.
The place is named after him!

SISKO
Really?

LUKA
B’Hala. Ohalu. You never put it
together?

SISKO
I guess not.

LUKA
Alu comes from his Eav’oq name.
But in ancient Bajoran, it also
means ‘the one place’. The only
place. And adding the B’ prefix
makes it sacred.
(to the sky)
B’Hava-el.
(the ground)
B’Jaara.
(grasps Sisko)
B’Hala. The only sacred place of
Ohalu. Where else would he be?

SISKO
Then you know he was an Eav’oq?
And you’re okay with that?

LUKA
I admit I wasn’t happy at first.
I felt like they were taking Ohalu
away from me. I lashed out. Got
into trouble. But with some time,
I realised... I don’t care what he
was. I only care who he was.
(beaming)
Now stop dawdling. We’ve got
work to do!

The man is certainly passionate. It’s infectious. Sisko grins, and lets Luka show him to the tool lockers.

20 INT. B’HALA CAVES - TUNNELS

Hours later, deeper into the excavation site. Luka forges ahead through the tunnels at a pace, with Sisko trailing behind. There are electric lights periodically along the passages, but they are getting fewer and farther between.

LUKA
Come on. It’s this way.

SISKO
Wow. I guess I’m out of shape.
You’re really excited about this.

LUKA
Oh, Benjamin. I can’t even begin
to tell you how much better I feel
since I came here. And I promise
you will too.

SISKO
What makes you think I need to
feel better?

LUKA
You said you came here because
of Prylar Eivos. Why – is there
some other reason?

SISKO
No... No, just Eivos. So, what led
you to volunteer?

LUKA
Ah... well... strictly speaking, I’m
not a volunteer. I’m here for...
rehabilitation.

SISKO
What do you mean?

LUKA
I’d been in protests before. Even
a couple of fights. But this was
the first time I’d ever taken it
so far. Stupid stupid stupid...
(gathers self)
Luckily, the other guy decided not
to press charges. And the magistrate
accepted that I wasn’t quite in my
right mind. The brain damage, you
know? So I got off with community
service. Prylar Eivos took me in,
looked after me.

SISKO
Yeah. He does that.

LUKA
That’s why I was the last one to
be assigned to anybody. And why
they gave me to you – if I went
crazy again, you could take me.

It was meant as a joke, but when Luka turns around to see Sisko’s reaction, Sisko isn’t smiling.

LUKA
Don’t worry, Benjamin. I’m not a
danger to anybody.
(carries on)
You know what? I think it’s fate
that brought me together with you.
You’re the one who rediscovered
B’Hala. And it was Kira Nerys the
Truthgiver, and your own wife,
Benjamin, who uncovered... this.

Luka turns a corner, Sisko follows him, and they see…

21 INT. B’HALA CAVES - MAUSOLEUM

As briefly seen in 8x03 “Avatar, pt 3”. The burial place of the ten-thousand, foretold in Ohalu’s book. A giant underground hall with notches along the walls, carrying ancient crypts and mummified remains as far as the eye can see.

Sisko steps into this, gazes at it with genuine awe.

LUKA
Step carefully. It was perfectly
preserved for thousands of years.
Since they broke through a few
years ago, they’ve tried their
best to keep it that way. So don’t
touch anything.

SISKO
This is... I don’t have words. It’s
beautiful. And so... sad. Why did
you bring me here?

LUKA
Because this is where I found it.
Come with me. Carefully.

Luka begins to pick his way carefully through the cavern, making sure not to touch anything. Sisko follows.

After a while, they reach somewhere near the middle of the giant room. There’s a statue, something like the weathered shapes at Yyn, but more complete. It could be a depiction of an Eav’oq – tall and thin, with one great smiling eye.

SISKO
So this is Ohalu.

LUKA
Blessed student of the Teacher
Prophets. Whose words brought
light, and wisdom, and peace.
Ohalu was the original Bajoran
religion, you know.

SISKO
I have a feeling the Vedeks would
argue with you on that.

LUKA
(sharp)
Then they’d be wrong.

Sisko looks askance at him – that was a bit harsh. But Luka is already crouching down, brushing the dust away from something on the ground. He’s harder now, angrier.

LUKA
Who do you think brought knowledge
of the Prophets to Bajor?

SISKO
I thought that was the Orbs.

LUKA
(dismissing it)
The Orbs only started appearing
ten-thousand years ago. Ohalu
was here thirty-thousand years
ago. He was here first.

SISKO
Okay...

LUKA
But the others – they suppressed
us. Tried to pretend we never even
existed. Took the legend of B’Hala
for themselves. This is our place!
They don’t have the right!

Sisko reaches out to touch Luka’s shoulder, comfort him. Luka spins to glare at him - Sisko flinches back a bit.

LUKA
(manic)
Look at this. Come on, look!

Sisko crouches down by Luka, looks at what he’s been brushing. There are carvings around the base of the statue, runes in ancient Bajoran. Luka relaxes somewhat.

SISKO
Ancient Bajoran runes. I can read
these.

LUKA
See? Fate.

SISKO
You can’t read them? But you –

LUKA
I learned everything about Ohalu.
Every word, every interpretation.
But I can’t read ancient Bajoran
just like that.
(grin)
I knew you would, though. You’re
the Emissary.

SISKO
(wary)
You said you didn’t believe I was
the Emissary.

LUKA
Well, okay, yes, I did say that.
But... that’s missing some of the
nuances. I mean, obviously you are
the Emissary, being defined as the
man who contacted the Prophets.
But... if we don’t think of the
Prophets as gods, then obviously
the guy who talks to them isn’t a
god either. You’re just not that
important to us. Sorry, that was
probably a bit blunt.

SISKO
No, it’s okay. It's... humbling.

LUKA
Which is not to say that we don’t
respect you. I mean, your daughter
is the Avatar, the symbol of a new
age for Bajor, foretold by Ohalu
himself. We still follow you on
the news.

SISKO
That’s very flattering.

LUKA
Benjamin... you don’t seem happy.
Admittedly I don’t know you that
well... yet... but I’d kind of got the
impression you were getting more
comfortable with being the Emissary
of the Prophets.

SISKO
I was. Until I started to understand
better what it really meant. What
they expected me to do for them,
how they kept taking me away
from my friends and family...

LUKA
I’m sorry.

SISKO
That’s part of why I barely left
the house. To try to show Kasidy
I would never leave her...

LUKA
But also to escape all of the
Bajorans calling you Emissary.

SISKO
Yes... I could avoid it most of the
time when I lived on Deep Space
Nine. There I was just a Starfleet
captain. But here, on Bajor, there’s
no escape. People always wanting
to meet me, shake my hand, almost
genuflecting wherever I go.

LUKA
Well, if it’s any comfort to you, I
won’t genuflect. I’m not sure my
back could take it.

SISKO
(sad smile)
It’s selfish, I know. But I wish more
of your people felt that way.

Luka turns back and starts brushing more dust away from the carvings, in a happier mood now. But Sisko is darker.

LUKA
Speaking of Deep Space Nine, I was
there recently.

SISKO
Really? Why?

LUKA
Well, you know I mentioned some
trouble with the law... that was
where it happened. It’s not anything
I’m proud of, but... oh, I might as
well just say it. I tried to kill someone.

SISKO
You did what?

LUKA
The Cardassian ambassador. I told
you, I wasn’t in my right mind. It was
the stupidest thing I’ve ever done –

SISKO
Did you kill Prylar Eivos?

Luka turns to Sisko, astonished. Sisko’s face is like thunder, dark and deadly.

LUKA
What?

SISKO
He was my friend. Him and his wife.
Did you kill them both?

LUKA
Benjamin – no! I would never -

Sisko pulls Luka roughly up by the shoulders, shoves him violently against the statue. Shakes him back and forth.

SISKO
Are you a murderer? Is that what
you are? Did you set their house
on fire? If you’re the one who -

Luka SCREAMS, a terrified whimper-wail of utter fear. Sisko lets go in shock. Luka throws his arms up around his head, protecting himself, shrieking and cowering in terror. He crouches back down to the ground, as small as possible.

SISKO
Luka, I...

But Luka only SCREAMS even louder.

LUKA’S POV

We look up, the mausoleum dark and ominous, closing in around us. Sisko looms over us, a sneer of absolute hatred on his face, a metal pipe in his hand. He raises the pipe, swings it down towards us, ready to pummel us...

BACK TO SCENE

Luka shrieks all over again, scampers to his feet and tries desperately to escape. Sisko reaches out to try to comfort him – Luka only screams all the louder. Sisko watches him flail, horrified. What has happened to the poor man?

Luka runs across the giant underground room, dashes into one of the crypt slots in its huge stone walls. He backs himself into a corner, curls up into a ball, arms wrapped around his knees, rocking himself back and forth, head BANGING against the stone wall hard enough to break skin.

LUKA
Please don’t hurt me please don’t
hurt me please don’t hurt me...

Sisko approaches, slowly and gently, trying not to spook Luka any further. Luka is obviously a psychological wreck.

SISKO
Luka... I’m so sorry...

Luka just whimpers again, keeps banging his head...

Sisko crouches down to his level, hands up to show there’s nothing in them. He shuffles forwards one slow step at a time, careful not to appear threatening.

LUKA
Please don’t hurt me please don’t
hurt me...

SISKO
I won’t hurt you. I promise I
won’t hurt you. I’m sorry.

Sisko is finally able to reach Luka, who is practically catatonic with fear and panic. Sisko gently wraps his arms around the man, pulls him in close. He holds Luka against his chest, cradles him, rocks him back and forth.

SISKO
I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.
I’m sorry...

Oh Sisko’s sad, upset, horrified face...

FADE OUT:

END OF ACT THREE